Surgical needle.



J. S. TURNER.

SURGICAL NEEDLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6, 1911.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

ATTO NE! 1n: NCRRIS PETERS ca, WA

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH S. TURNER, 013 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SURGICAL NEEDLE.

T (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosnrH S. TURNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, California, have invented a new and usefulSurgical Needle, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a new and improved construction in surgicalneedles, the uses and purposes'of which are herein fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings the details and novel features ofconstruction are shown, and in these drawings: Figure 1 is a side viewof the shank of a surgical needle; Fig. 2 is a top view of the partshown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the dottedline aa in Fig. 2; Fig. 4c is a side view of another form of surgicalneedle embodying my improvements; Fig. 5 is another type of needleembodying my new features; Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the needle shownin Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on thedotted line (Zd in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross section taken onthe dotted line b?) in Fig. 1, Fig. t or Fig. 5; Fig. 9 is an enlargedfragmental longitudinal cross section taken along the line cc in Fig. 5,also showing a ligature threaded through the eye of said needle; Fig. 10is a side view and Fig. 11 a top plan view of a needle having a similarconstruction to the one shown in Fig. 1 except in one .detail.

Throughout the several views like characters refer to like parts, andreferring to the details of construction: 1 is a rectangular shankformed on any size or type of surgical needle; 2 refers to the point ofa surgical needle, and this may be straight, curved or flattened in anydesired manner and for any purpose; 3 refers to the eye of the needle; 4is a flattened portion of the needle at or near the eye end of theneedle inthe type of needle shown in Figs. 1 and 4:; 5 is a roove formedin either side of the needle shown in Fig. 5 and is adapted to receivethe ligature, and 6 is a ligature or thread.

It will be seen in the drawings that the shank of the needle in all ofthe forms of construction shown is made square with two of theopposite-edges of the said shank in alinement with the longitudinalcenter of the eye of the needle. The length of the eye as ordinarilyconstructed is made about twice its width. The length, shape andSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 6, 1911.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

Serial No. 606,767.

other characteristics of the needle outside of the eye and shankportions may be of gny deslred kind, size and form and these ieaturesare no part of this invention. The ob ect in making the shankrectangular is to provide a satisfactory means for holding the needle ina forceps or needle holder havng a suitable rectangular notch cut in itsJaws. With a round or oval needle shank there is no absolute means forpreventing the needle from turning in the forceps and with the point ofthe needle obscured from vision, it is impossible to determine justWhere the point is going. Great damage often results from accidentallypenetrating tissues in this manner. Vith a square shank, the corners ofwhich are in a known relation to the eye and to the direction of thepoint, the needle can be guided with great ease and precision.

In the use of a surgical needle of ordinary construction the ligaturepassing through the eye offers a serious and abrupt obstacle to thepassage'of the needle through the opening in the tissues made by theneedle and it is a common occurrence to break needles in the attempt toforce this enlarged section through the smaller and elastic opening inthe tissues made by the point. To overcome this difficulty I place theeye of the needle within or in close proximity to the square shank ofthe needle. Means is then provided for allowing the ligature to enterthe opening made by the needle while the shank of the needle holds thetissues in the clear of the ligature.

In the form of needle shown in Fig. 5 the eye is formed in therectangular portion of the shank and a groove 5 is cut in the twoopposite sides of the needle from the eye to the back end of the needle.This groove receives the ligature and the sides of. the groove hold thetissues apart While the ligature is entering.

In the needle of the type shown in Fig. 10, and which I regard as themost desirable of the several forms shown, the eye is cut in the squareshank, the needle is grooved from the eye to the back end as above described, and the needle from about the center of the eye to the back endis tapered or beveled as shown in said Fig. 10 and in Fig. 11. Thisholds the tissues apart until the ligature enters the opening made bythe needle and then allows the tissues to close upon the ligature, butafter the shoulder formed by the ligature has passed into the tissues.

Fig. 1 shows a needle identical with the one shown in Fig. 10 exceptthat shoulders are formed by the flattening of two opposite sides of theshank from the center of the needle back instead of the taper shown inFigs. 10 and 11.

In the form of needle shown in Fig. 4, 1 place the eye of the needle atthe exact end of the square shank and the beginning of the flattenedportion of the shank at this point provides shoulders on each side ofthe needle which will hold open the tissues which have been graduallyseparated by the taper of the needle, until the ligature held in the eyecan enter the opening so made.

The length of the square portion of the shank is varied according to thelength 01" the slot in the jaws of the forceps or needle holder to beused and according to the length and shape of the needle used.

A needle constructed of suitable material With a rectangular shank andshoulders or projections for protecting the ligature may be used formany purposes, also the shape of the shank may be slightly varied and 1do not desire to limit myself to one exactly square in construction.Other rectangular or diamond shaped shanks may be used.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is In a surgical needle, a suitably shapedpoint, a square shank on said needle, an eye through said needle, theaxis of the eye lying in the plane of two opposite edges of therectangular shank, a groove extending from each end of the eye to therear end of the needle, whereby the construction of the grooves removesthe material from the rectangular shank only at two opposite edgesthereof.

JOSEPH S. TURNER. Witnesses:

ANDREW K. MARTELL, HANNA MENDENHALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

